Fruit-drying machine.



J. A. BYINGTON.

FRUIT DRYING MACHINE.

A PUCATION FILED FEBI H. 1915- 1,158,980. Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

3 snssrs-snsn 1.

J. A. BYINGTON.

FRUIT DRYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 11. 1915. H 9 1,158,980. Patented Nov. V, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

vwewtoz J. A. BYINGTON.

FRUIT DRYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION HLH) FEB-11,]9I5.

Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

"3 SHEETS-SHLET 3 R: j I? I film a JAMES AUGUSTUS BYINGTON, OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.

FRUIT-DRYING MACHINE. I

Application filed February 11, 1915. Serial No.

To all whom it may concern: s

Be it known that I, JAMES A. BYINGTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jacksonville, in the county of'Duval and State of Florida, have invented a new and useful Fruit-Drying Machine; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact descriptionof the invention,

such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. I This invention relates to an improved drying machine, for drying various fruits, such as oranges, grape fruit, tangerines and the like, and particularly used in packing houses for such citrus fruit when washed.

As one of the objects of the invention it is the aim to provide a machine of such nature and construction, as to eliminatethe burden.

and expense of the use of heated air, and in lieu thereof the use of blasts of natural cold air.

A further object of the invention is to provide a combined drier and grading table,

particularly of the roller type, whlch hasv been found to be the most practical and ef licient method of grading and drying fru t.

In other words, to consolidate a drying and grading table, making one machine answer or perform both purposes of drying and grading the fruit, in which case the machine will occupy less than one-half the floor space heretofore utilized. I As another object of the invention, 1t 1s the aim to provide a machine of this nature including a series of rollers covered with suitable absorbent material and arranged 1n sequence and likewlse traveling, thereby providing an improved conveyer for safely and mechanically handling the fruit without bruising the same. 1 p

Another object of the invention is that by the provision ofthe absorbent material covering the rollers, all the moisture on thefruit subsequently to being washed is thoroughly absorbed by such rollers, in avery short space of time.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of this nature having air passages, through which an immense air draft or blast is passed, which not only thoroughly dries the rollers on their return travel, but is also deflected for assisting in drying the rollers on their forward travel. and especially dry the fruit, the rollers act- Specification of Letters Patent;

forth, shown in the to a conveyer,

treatment. Fig.

' Patented Nov. 2, 1915. 7,534. I

greater part of the mois ing to absorb the fruit being, transferred to ture, prior to the suitable sizing machines.

As a further object of the invention is to provlde a machine having a greater capacity than similar machines, and owing to the abtransmisslon. I

A further object ofthe invention is to more gently handled, but is saferin its provide a simple and efficient and practicalv construction. i v In practical fields the details of constructlon may necessitate alterations, falling within the scope of What is claimed. 4

The invention comprises further features and combination of parts, as hereinafter set drawings and claimed. In the drawingsz-Figure 1- is a plan view showing the improved combined fruit drymgand grading machine arranged adjacent which acts to transfer the fruit to suitable sizing machines for'further 2 1s a view in s de elevation of the combined drier and grading machine.

. sorbent material rollers, the fruit is not only Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view on f line 33 of Fig. ,1. Fig.4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of F tional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 66 .of Fig. 1. Fig.- 7 is a detail view,

absorbent material covered rollers joined g. 1. Fig. 5 is a seo- '85 showing several of the together in sequence. Fig. 8 isa, detail view of one of the absorbent materialcovered rollers. -'F1g. 9 is a plan view showing a partfofthe structure shown in Fig. 7 illus trat'ing'se'veral of therollers. Fig. 10 is a the absorbent material covered rollers 23.

Referring more especially to the drawings,

perspective' view of another form of one of i 1 designates the main frame work comprising the base 2, the standard3, and the upper trough frame 4, which is supported upon the transverse bars 5. .Mounted upon one end i of the, base is a pedestal 6 having a blower fan. casing 7, in which the shaft 8 of the blower fan 9' is mounted. The casing 7 is provided with a hollow-extension 10 com.- municating with the trough frame 4, whereby as the fan (which is designed to be operated by anysui'tablemeans (not'sho-wn)) is operated an immense blast or draft of air is forced through the trough casing,

I which is divided into two chamber-s11 and 12 by the partitions 13. The draft or blast of air passes through the chamber is deflected by the deflector plate 14 into the chamber 12. In bearings of one end of the trough frame a shaft 15 is'mounted having sprocket wheels '16, one at each end. Mounted in bearings of the other end of the trough frame is a shaft 17, likewise pro- 'vided with sprockets 18.,- one upon each end.

' .The rim of each sprocket 16 and118 is provided with a plurality of semi-circular .bear- I I tional construction.

'ings 19. A pair of chains 20 is provided,

and each consists of'aseries of links of-the type and construction shown in the draw-' ings, particularly in Fig.7.v Howeventhese links 21 may be of any suitable or conven These links are conthe pintles 22 of the rollnected together by pinsv 24 to hold the pintles ers 23, there being in place connecting said links. 23 extend from one chain to the other-as shown,

and are wrapped spirally by strips The rollers of suitable absorbent material ,25, and arev designed to travel upon the-slats26. These slats extend longitudinally of the trough frame, and are supported by the transverse bars 27, thereby providing the supporting surface or bed for the rollers, The rollers y only absorb the moisture from the fruit, but also act as conveying means, for conveying the fruit from one end of the machine to the tue' of the rollers a suitable grading table is provided. The opposite sides of the trough frame have their upper edge portions ex:

clearly shown,

as shown,- in Flgs. I the fruitand the like from. displacement at the ends of the rollers. Mounted in bearings of the; trough frame at its ends adjacent one side thereof,-and in bearings of an additional frame 29 are shafts 30 and 31 ,havin suitable rollers 32 and 33, over which the be t 34 travels; On one end of the shaft 3O is'agear 35, meshing-with the gear 36 of one end of the shaft 15, the other end of which is provided with a pulley 37, designed means of their absorbent material, not.

same is being thoroughly I dried by the draft of air. Also by the virtended 'abovethe surfaces of the rollers, as

not only'in Fig, 3, but also I 5 and 6, so as to prevent 1: is claimed as new and useful is to receive power from any suitable source (not shown) by means of the belt 38. It is to be noted that the drying or grading belt (which consists of the 'series of absorbent.

material covered rollers) is designed to travel in the direction of the arrow a, and

owing to the intermeshing of the gears 36.

. and 35 the belt 34 travels in the opposite.

direction as indicated by the arrow 6. This arrangementis for the purpose of carrying the fruit from the end 0 of the roller conveyer to the end 0!, during which course of travel, the fruit not only dries ofl naturally, but the moisture is considerably absorbed by the absorbent material on the rollers, and when the fruit reaches the end 0? it is frame, that is,

the intermediate rollers being wrapped this manner .and the other rollers Wrapped 1. In a fruit drler, a casing, an travelingconveyer mounted in-t he casing the fruit from one end to the I other, said conveyer comprising a plurality graded and separated and deflected-through the passages 40, 41, 42 and 43 on to the belt or conveyer 34, which transfers the same to the sizing machines 44 and 45, where the fruit is further handled in the usual manner, the sizing machines, it is to be noted, form no part of the present invention.' The strips 46, 47 and '48 act to deflect and separate the fruit, in order to be transferred to the belt 34. As the fruit; travels with the roller conveyer the air blast'or draft ercolates through the slats 26, and not on y assist in drying the rollers as they move in the direction of the arrow 01,, but also assist I in drying the fruitconsiderably, and as the rollers pass backwardly through the trough on the bottom thereof, they are thoroughly and completely dried by the draft or blast of air passing through the chamber 11.

It will be noted I that every other roller is Wrappedspirally from one end, to the other with a strip' of absorbent material, I

such as felt or the like,'while the intermediate rollers have their strips of absorbent mar terial wrapped spirally from their opposite ends toward-their centers, and the slight selvage on the contacting adjacent edges of the strips cause partially raised portions 50, therefore owing to theirv spiral arrangement, the fruit in its travel from one end of the jmachine to the other is maintained centrally upon the roller conveyer, thereby preventing the fruit from considerably contacting with the sides of the trough. By in spirally from opposite ends, the rollers not only contact with the the same, and at the sametime. a variable comes thoroughly dry.

endless to convey of rollers, each .havinga strip of spirally arranged absorbent material, each and every other roller having strips of absorbent material spirally arranged upon its opposite end in opposite directions toward the center thereof, the slight selvage of the adjacent edges of the strip forming raised parts, thereby causing the fruit to automatically center on the conveyer.

2. In a fruit drier, a casing divided into upper and lower chambers, an endless conveyer mounted in the casing and moving through said chamber, said conveyer comprising a series of absorbent material cov ered rollers to absorb the moisture from the fruit, and pneumatic means for not only fruit, but also wipe loo N5 movement is imparted to each and every piece of fruit, in Which case the fl'lllt besorbent material of each alternating roller 'being formed in strips wrapped spirally from its opposite end in opposite directions toward the center of the roller, the adjacent selvaged edges of the strips forming spirally arranged raised parts to malntain the fruit centered on the conveyer.

' 3.-In a fruit drier, a supporting frame having a trou h frame supported thereby, revoluble mem ers mounted in each end of I the trough frame, a fruit conveyer travel-' rollers, and pneumatic means for ing about the members, said trough frame consisting of upper and lower chambers, in

which the upper and lower parts of the conveyer travel, said conveyer comprising absorbent material covered rollers, a long1- tudinal slatted support for the rollers of the upper part of the conveyer tosu port the air blast through said chambers, to not only dry the rollers on their return movements,

orcing an but on their forward movements, and also to assist in drying the fruit.

4. A fruit conveyer for fruit drying machines comprising endless chains, spaced rollers connecting said chains, each and every other roller having-a strip of absorbent material wrapped in one direction from one end to the other, each alternating roller having two strips wrapped spirally from opposlte ends of the rollers to opposite directions of the center of the roller,-the selvaged adjacent edges of the oppositely arranged spiral strips causing spirally arranged raised parts to maintain the group centered on the conveyer.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES AUGUSTUS BYINGTON.

Witnesses:

ALLARD CARLIsLn, RICHARD M. HIGGINBOTHAM. 

